Hot Topics:

Billerica store owners denied beer, wine license

By Evan Lips, elips@lowellsun.com

Updated:
02/11/2013 06:35:22 AM EST

BILLERICA -- A Lowell family's bid to offer beer and wine at their Boston Road convenience store was dashed Monday night as selectmen expressed concerns over a hastily completed application and a memo from the Police Department regarding previous troubles with mini-marts that also sell beer and wine.

Satish and Ramesh Patel received the bad news in person, as the two appeared before the board to state their case as to why they felt there was a need for their 161 Boston Road store to be able to sell wine and beer.

Ramesh Patel, Satish Patel's father-in-law, argued that there are no liquor stores on the stretch of Route 129 between the Chelmsford line and Boston Road. The family's Richdale Convenience Store, at the intersection of the two roads, is attached to a Subway sandwich shop run by a different family.

Police Chief Dan Rosa attended the meeting and pointed out there are already three liquor stores within about a mile of 161 Boston Road. He also expressed concerns over stores that act as both mini-marts and beer and wine sellers.

"My experience with this combination has not been good," he said, producing paperwork documenting a series of incidents in which a former Billerica Richdale Convenience Store with a beer and wine license was busted for selling beer to minors.

The Patels, however, pointed out that their Richdale store is unaffiliated with the Lynn-based franchise.

Advertisement

When the family purchased the business from Richdale, the company's sign was already attached to the facade of the building. The Patels simply decided against removing it.

Selectman Mike Rosa reviewed the Patels' application line by line and pointed out several inconsistencies, including the fact that the family listed three different people as being 40 percent owners.

"In all honesty, applying for a liquor license is almost as important as implementing," Rosa said. "The board takes the application seriously since this is the first brush as to how thorough you will be."

Ramesh Patel apologized for the sloppy application and noted that he could not afford to pay a seasoned attorney to help him.

Selectman Bob Correnti said even beyond the application mistakes he still could not determine what the "public need" is for another wine and beer seller on Boston Road.

Selectman Chairman Andrew Deslaurier said the board's role in reviewing applications is to "deal with an assignment of risk," and added that based upon Chief Rosa's report "and our prior experience, it tells me that combination stores do not operate successfully."

Selectmen voted unanimously against granting the license, with Selectman Bob Accomando abstaining due to a potential conflict of interest due to his town job as a police dispatcher.

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sun. So keep it civil.